Sweet Dreams
by SobakasuAshura
Summary: Lerin is plagued by a single dream but once she is brought into Neverland, new dreams arise that make her question both her past and who she is. AU- Pairings RufioxOC, PeterPanxOC & HookxOC. There is a longer summary in first chapter, Please enjoy!
1. Authors Note

Summary:

Lerin is plagued by a single dream but once she is brought into Neverland, new dreams arise that make her question both her past and who she is. Mean while, Captain James Hook and his gang of pirates are in search of a mysterious map that will lead him to a weapon of great fortune. Peter Pan and his second in command Rufio, lead The Lost Boys in an on going war with pirates - they know Hook is after something, but what exactly is unknown to Peter and his boys.

-i-

Author's Note:

-i-

So I published this story yeaaaars ago and totally forgot all about it!

The original story is unclear to me, I doubt I knew what I was writing back in 2003 so I'm just going to write a new story and hopefully a much better one that makes a lot more sense then the last one did

*I suggest old watchers of this story re-read it*

And please review, I like getting feedback and if you guys aren't enjoying the story I need to know. Don't be afraid to tell me to pick up the pace or slow down


	2. Chapter One

**Authors Note:** This is an AU story, an in this timeline Peter Pan never met Wendy. This story takes place in the 21st century.

**Disclaimer:** Peter Pan was created and written by J.M. Barrie - I only own a few characters in this story.

-Sweet Dreams-

CHAPTER .ONE.

- A Timeless Dream -

As my eyes wondered the room...all I saw was red...then everything changed to black...

I remember when I was a young child; everything seemed to dance…

…a timeless dream that claimed dominance over my sweet slumbers ever since I can remember…

I was always in a room full of what I think are people, standing off to the side. I can't even tell that it's a room I'm standing in; all of the colors and features are hazy and seem to mesh together. The figures in the room are always blurry apparitions, they swooshed by me, spinning and gliding to and fro – they filled the room with their physical presence. Laughter and incoherent chitter-chatter echoed about the room – a party…it felt like it…but I was never sure…confusion always sets in as my nerves flare and the butterflies in the pit of my stomach thrash about in. I feel my heart pounding hard against my chest; I place my hand over my heart in a means to calm it but then my fingers touch lace. I always want to look but I never can, my eyes stay attuned to the dancing figures in front of me. I bring my other hand up and place it against my chest, these fingers feeling the lace as well. My fingers glide down feeling more lace against a bodice, but there are other materials – a beading of gems and pearls, a silk ribbon weaving down the front of my torso and there are layers chiffon and silk that billow out around my hips – it was an elegant dress that felt so soft against my skin.

As a child, I always thought I was within another being – my hands felt the matured body beneath its fingers and my eyes observed the height at which the being stood. It was until I matured out of my adolescents that I realized the being within my dreams was and has always been me.

My hands would always continue to explore the fabrics and beading that wrapped around me. I would finally stop when a solid figure would appear; it stood in the center of the room as the dancing figures swooshed around it. My breath would always hitch at the sight of it and then I would stop breathing completely, holding the air in as a crippling frost crept through my entire body – I would always stand frozen as if I lost my own will to move freely and at ease. The mass was tall with a masculine silhouette; it was always a solid black with no distinguishable features. It would always stand so hauntingly still and it felt like it was staring at me, as if it had eyes that burrowed and pierce my flesh, it felt as if something was trying to crawl beneath my skin.

Eventually I would start to regain my nerves and my fingers would begin to twitch, my chest would start to rise and lower as I regained the act to breath, and I would finally tear my eyes away from the shadowed mass. I would keep my gaze away from the black figure, but even with my eyes averted I can feel its presence and the distance between us. As if upset by my actions, the mass would start moving towards me, ever so cautiously like a predator approaching its prey, until it arrived a few feet away. My eyes snap up to see him, except he is not a solid black anymore…he is drenched in black and green, with the color red draining to the floor. As much as I wish to run away, I could never pick my feet up. Instead, I manage to close my eyes and put my hands out in front of me, gesturing for the figure to stop. A blow comes and I hear the sound of clanging echo throughout the room, like swords singing. A voice speaks out, so clear, it is telling me to hold on, and that the pain won't last much longer.

…What pain?…I can't feel anything; I want to scream 'Please stop! Make it all to stop!' but I can't find my voice. Laughter, so sweet in character tickles my ear, I can feel the laughter's warm breath on my neck; the caressing breath lasts only a moment and there was a swooshing sound followed by a crow that shook the walls. My eyes snap open and I would witness the dancing apparitions disintegrate into ash and then there were arms around me lifting me into the air as ash covered the floor. Higher and higher I floated upwards, it became harder to breath and darkness would consume me...

… 'Please stop…I…I can't breathe'…I pleaded to the arms around me and as if it could hear my thoughts the arms released me as I plummeted downward.

Lerin woke up gasping, a cold tingle coating her body from head to toe. Her heart pounded hard against her chest, her breathing rapid and frantic as her fingers clung tight to her bed sheets. Lerin took deep breaths as she tried to calm heart; she gulped down air and tried to moisten her dried mouth and throat…

"It was a dream, only a dream."

-To be continued-


	3. Chapter Two

**Authors Note:** This is an AU story, an in this timeline Peter Pan never met Wendy. This story takes place in the 21st century.

**Disclaimer:** Peter Pan was created and written by J.M. Barrie - I only own a few characters in this story.

-Sweet Dreams-

CHAPTER .TWO.

- Awake-

Lerin woke up gasping, a cold tingle coating her body from head to toe. Her heart pounded hard against her chest, her breathing rapid and frantic as her fingers clung tight to her bed sheets. Lerin took deep breaths as she tried to calm pounding heart; she gulped down air and tried to moisten her dried mouth and throat…

"It was a dream, only a dream" she said between deep breaths "Come on Lerin, calm yourself!"

Lerin tried to move from out of her bed, but her legs were tangled within the sheets; pillows were scattered about the floor around her bed with her comforter lying among the "pillowy" mess. She sighed out the last of her nerves and started to untangle her limbs from the sheets. "This is ridiculous," she muttered to herself, "You'd think after having the exact same dream! For the past 17 years! I would have my own nerves under control!" she finished with a humph and stood up from her bed. The cream carpet was plush beneath her feet, Lerin moved wearily around her bed picking up the disheveled bedding and pillows and piling them back onto her bed. She sighed once again and glancing over to the digital clock on her bed stand, '7:04 A.M.'

"Great!" she said sarcastically; Lerin moved across her room, heading towards her bathroom. The cool tiled floor felt good on her feet, she flicked the light switch, the artificial light filling the room; it was reasonably sized bathroom: a separate shower and bathtub, toilet, sink with a large mirror with a rococo designed wooden frame. The floor tiling is marble checked in black and white, with specs of gold scattered within the marble slabs. The walls are cream colored with gold relief floral designs vining across its spacious walls. The ceiling was painted a solid black with a crystal chandelier hanging down from its center. Lerin moved into the bathroom and over to the shower; she opened the clear glass door and turned a silver knob. Like rain, water sprayed down from a showerhead in the ceiling, she discarded her clothing and stepped in to the shower. The warm water felt good on her skin; it soothed her aching muscles and washed away remnants of the dream.

As the warm water glided down her body, she relaxed slipping into a slight daze; the noise of the shower was becoming distant until she heard nothing at all…there was complete silence. 'Silence? Why is it so silent?' Lerin dreamily thought. She stood lax, running her hands through her ebony hair; she could feel her fingers graze through her dark locks and she could still feel the water hitting and running down her flesh. Lerin twisted and turned about in the shower, looking for anything odd or out of place, 'What's going on?' she thought; she peered down at the shower floor and froze. Colors, so many colors; Lerin whipped around and gazed up at the ceiling. A vibrant wash of colors poured out of the ceilings showerhead.

"No! No, no, no, no! I am awake! See I am awake! You're not suppose to do this to me when I'm awake!" She pleaded to the absent cause of this torment. Suddenly there was a presence behind her followed by its heavy breathing. The presence inhaled and exhaled so deeply, its ice cold breath fanned across her neck and down her bareback. Lerin stood frozen, her body crippled from the frigged air; she was overcome by the same feelings she had always felt in her dreams.

There was a need within this presences breathing, as if it wanted or needed something from her. Lerin lips parted, her bottom lip quivering from both fear and the over whelming chill that ran through her entire body; she could see her breath mist the air around her part lips, it blended and dissipated with the warm steam around her. 'How is there steam in here? It's freezing cold!" Lerin nervously thought; however this small detail had seemed to snap Lerin out of her frozen state. She gazed downward, seeing the color washed water swirl around her feet and then spiral down the drain. This sudden movement seemed to have angered whatever presence was behind her.

Its breathing became rapid, as if the presence was angry or enraged by something. 'Run, Lerin! You need to get out of here!' she exclaimed to herself, but before she could move a low husky growl vibrated down her spin; "Miiiiine" it growled into her ear.

Lerin began to panic and she felt the presence closing in on her, she was about to scream, when she heard a knock. Lerin whipped around and pressed her back up against the shower wall, her eyes rapidly darting to and fro. But there was nothing there, no wash of colors and no dark presence of any kind.

"Miss? Can you hear me in there?" came the sweet voice of a woman from behind the bathroom door. Lerin did not answer the voice, clearly to confused and shaken by whatever occurred in the shower moments ago.

"Miss?" said the women's voice, laced with slight worried and followed by a few more knocks.

"Yes" Lerin said her voice cracking; she coughed, clearing her throat, "Yes, I'm here Twilla," Lerin said with a shaky voice, she hesitantly reached out and turned the silver shower knob, cutting the water flow off. Lerin stepped out of the shower, grabbing a large black towel from off the shower rack.

"Miss, I insist you finish up soon or you'll be late for school. Mrs. Thornwood has packed you a breakfast to go" came Twilla's sweet voice, slightly muffled and more distant. Lerin could hear the women moving about the room; no doubt she was remaking that disaster of a bed.

Taking a moment to herself, Lerin stood in front of her mirror, gazing back at the reflection – she was reasonably tall at 5'7", she was thin with a layer of lean muscles, her complexion was clear with porcelain white skin, thick black lashes frame her bright blue eyes, her ebony black hair was shoulder length with bangs. "What is wrong with you?" Lerin asked her reflection

"Miss, is everything all right in there" asked a concerned Twilla, her voice loud and clear; she must be right up against the door.

Lerin snapped back into reality, "Yes Twilla. I'm fine" she said, " I'll be out soon". She started to dry herself off, deciding to focus on getting ready for the day.

-To be continued-


	4. Chapter Three

**Authors Note:** This is an AU story, an in this timeline Peter Pan never met Wendy. This story takes place in the 21st century.

**Disclaimer:** Peter Pan was created and written by J.M. Barrie - I only own a few characters in this story.

-Sweet Dreams-

CHAPTER .THREE.

- You're No Fun! -

The dream use to only haunt me in slumber, but now I see the wash of colors pour and stream in the surrounding environment; it flows down the busy city streets, it washes across the tall buildings, wrapping around street signs and lights; it pours out anything within reach. No matter where I went, the colors would appear and then disappear. Of course, I am only imagining it, but sometimes the reality of the dream is intangible; now I can never tell whether I am asleep or awake.

"Mira! Hey Mira! Wait up!" Lerin came running down the busy city street; she wore black boots, with dark denim skinny jeans and a black military peacoat, a dark brown leather messenger bag was strapped around her torso, carrying her school books and minor, yet necessary toiletries. She ran up to a girl about her age, who had a peaches'n crème colored skin, milky and smooth, and curly blonde hair that went an inch or two past her shoulders; the girl worn a light pink peacoat that went down to her knees, a black blouse and tight pencil skirt underneath, and her shoes were black and white Mary-Jane high heals.

Lerin ran up to the girl, out of breath and panting; the beautiful girl was sucking on a small ruby red lollipop, with a humph, the girl elegantly removed the sucker from her mouth, "Why hello there Lerin," said the girl slightly amused, "Running late as usual I see" she finished with a brilliant smile.

"Whatever, Mira. I'm here now so let's go," said Lerin slightly irritated at her friends comment; she observed the environment around her. People of all shapes and character briskly walked by, passing in opposite directions. Some on their cellphones, others with their morning coffee in hand, carrying briefcases and bags full of whatever business consumed their daily lives.

"Oh no, not today love, I have other plans," said Mira twirling the lollipop between her well manicured fingers, "You know, things to see, places to be. School just isn't on the agenda for today."

"It's not supposed to be optional!" Lerin huffed, "You know, School is one of those mandatory 'things' that is always on the agenda five days out of the week!"

Mira pouted her pink pedal lips, "Ooooh come on darling, live a little. You are an heiress after all and a brilliant one at that," she said giving Lerin a perky wink, "So why fuss over such a draaaab thing like 'school'? We're two young and beautiful girls, we deserve to have a bit of fun now and again." Mira nudged closer to Lerin, wrapping one arm around her friend's shoulders, "Cooooome on, pleeeaaase."

Lerin gazed into Mira's pouty brown eyes, her walls were caving in and a familiar right eye twitch began, "You are so irritating, but" Lerin paused and her features soften "But cute none the less."

"So you're in?" Mira asked, her eyes sparkling with hope and excitement.

"No, I'm not. I might be an heiress and so called 'brilliant' but I have a duty to fulfill; I'm going to be in charge of my parent's technological empire someday. I need to be ready," said Lerin looking away from her friend to stare out listlessly into the crowded streets.

Both girls stood quietly for a moment; Mira sighed stepping away from her friend, "Darling, your way to serious. Maybe if you loosen up a bit you'd stop having those freaking dreams of yours," the blonde girl carelessly said. Lerin gazed coldly at her Mira, her bright blue eyes turning a cool silver.

Mira giggled at her friend, "Oh love, you could render anyone helpless with that gaze of yours," she said flirtatiously, "Be careful with that." With a brief kiss on Lerin's cheek, Mira made her way down the street, turning her head slightly to the side, "Ciao, darling." And with that, the blonde vixen disappeared into the city crowd.

Lerin rubbed the wet kiss from her cheek, "Pft, whatever" she said still staring off in the direction Mira had taken. She turned right and headed down the busy sidewalk. She checked her pocket watch, lovingly rubbing her thumb across its gold cover before flicking it open.

"Shit" Lerin mutter; she pocketed her watch and began a light sprint, elegantly dodging the people passing by. She came upon an alleyway; it was sketchy looking to say in the least. 'Come on Lerin, it's a short cut, just take it!' she said, subconsciously egging herself onward. She moved cautiously down what seemed like an empty alleyway, she came across a fork in the road, not knowing exactly what either direction lead to. "Oh come on! The school is right on the other side of this block!" Lerin huffed. She looked to her left and then to her right.

"Eeeerrrgh, Whatever!" she said exacerbated by the scenario; she turned and started heading down the alleyway to her left. A few minutes later she came to a dead end, sky-high brick walls surrounded her.

"Wow, way to go darling!" she said sarcastically, throwing in Mira's affectionate pet name for her. The sound of a can clanking caught her attention, Lerin whipped around to see two big brawly looking men standing in front of her.

"Well what do we have here?" said one of the men in a husky voice. He had a scar across his right eye that traveled down the length of his cheek to his chin, "You lost, sweetie?"

Lerin smirked; straightening her posture, cocking one hip out to the side and placing a hand on it, "It looks that way, huh?"

"Sure does," the other man replied. He had a serpent like voice and sharp yellow eyes to match his reptilian articulation.

"Well sorry to disappoint you fellas, but I'm not lost. And if you don't mind, I'm running a little late," Lerin coolly replied as she began walking towards the men. Before she could pass by, both men moved directly in front of Lerin, the scarface man harshly grabbing her arm. "Actually, we do mind," he said with a disgusting smirk.

Lerin grimaced down at the meaty claw that wrapped around her arm; she brought her cool gaze up to the man's face, "That was a big mistake."

Before the scarface man could even blink, Lerin jammed her slender knee into his gut, sending the guy backwards a few feet; he landed with a loud thud, clutching his stomach while gasping for air. The serpent man stood shell shocked for a moment, staring back at his partner. He snapped his attention back to Lerin, "What the hell? You bi-" but before he could finish his rude remark, Lerin's boot made contact with his face. Blood spurted out from both his mouth and broken nose. He flew back and land right beside the other man, both writhing and moaning around on the dirty floor.

Lerin adjusted her coat and bag before walking up to the two beaten men, "Fourth degree black belt boys, maybe next time you'll think twice before picking a fight with a girl," she said. Without a second thought, Lerin moved passed the whimpering men and continued down the alleyway.

She recognized the area surrounding her, the alleyway's fork was just up head, 'Almost there' she thought to herself. Suddenly a rustling sound came from behind; she sighed.

"You fellas need another lesson?" she mockingly asked while confidently turning around to face the men. But there was no one there, in fact nothing was there; no dumpster to hide behind, to crack or hole on the wall to slip into, just sky high brick walls with clutters of trash gracing the grimy floor.

Lerin's eyes swept over the area, but she saw nothing. It was quite, the sound of the lively city absent from the environment. 'Something is not right' Lerin warned herself. A familiar tingle crept up her spin.

"Shit!" Lerin said as she spun around and began booking it down the alleyway.

It felt like something was chasing her; she would look back over her shoulder, but nothing was there; she brought her attention back to the path in front of her, but it was too late. Lerin ran head first into a brick wall; with a loud crack she fell back, hitting the ground hard. She lay sprawled out, her hair fanning out around her head, her eyes fluttering; the world was spinning so fast. Lerin groaned as nausea began to creep up her throat; she brought her hands up to her head, as if trying to still the spinning world, but it was to no avail.

The world around her became dark as a shadow passed over her; Lerin tried to open her eyes and move her head around. Her movement was limited and she couldn't see the owner of the shadow. She groaned again and groggily spoke out "Please…either help me or just let me be."

Lerin began to feel a weight lifted from her body, she became weightless as if floating in a pool of water.

'I must be blacking out,' she thought to herself; Lerin smirked "Just great…" she said just before the loom of unconsciousness took over.

-SD-

Lerin floated in and out of consciousness, her eyes felt heavy and she struggled to open them. She could hear voices near hear; they were so close, as if standing right next to or over her sprawled body. She wanted to move and call out but her body refused all cerebral demands.

"I found it! Isn't it interesting? I've never seen anything like it before!" chirped a voice. The speaker was male, his voice smooth, innocent and lively, almost sing-songy, but there was an underlining hint of mischievous nature bubbling around his words.

Another voice scoffed in reply, "Pft, and just what is so interesting about this thing? Whatever it is, it doesn't belong here! So get rid of it!" snapped the other male. His voice was crude, smug and pompous with an underlining hint of danger, cool and sharp. "Come on, we need to get going. Just leave it here for now and we'll take care of it later" said the crude voice.

"You're no fun!" said the other boy with an obvious pout in his tone. Lerin could hear their footsteps moving away and off into the distance; she fought hard to stay conscious. The smell of wood and earth filled her senses, 'Come on, just open your eyes!' She continued to struggle and plead with her own body, but all efforts were futile. Slowly the darkness crept up and consumed her senses once again.

-To be continued-


	5. Chapter Four

**Authors Note:** This is an AU story, an in this timeline Peter Pan never met Wendy. This story takes place in the 21st century.

**Disclaimer:** Peter Pan was created and written by J.M. Barrie - I only own a few characters in this story.

-Sweet Dreams-

CHAPTER .FOUR.

- A Wonderland -

Lerin woke up to the sound of birds chirping; the smell of wood and exotic flowers kissing her nose; rays of the sun warmed her body and the air was moist with heat. She sat up, grabbing her head and moaning in pain.

"Eeerrrrrmmm" she groaned and then flinched as her fingers grazed over the sore spot just above her right temple. "Ooo, give me some pain meds and I'll be right as rain," she said opening her eyes slowly.

Lerin gasped and sat up straight, franticly twisting and turning about as she crawled and scooted backwards.

"Wha…Wha…" Her hands and fingers dug into the earth with each scurrying repetition, her clothing covered in dirt with leaves nestled in her hair. Lerin's backside came upon a tree trunk, oblivious to the meeting, she continued to backup, compressing herself deep within its bark. Her chest rose and fell at a rapid pace and she gasped, opening and closing her mouth over and over again, trying to moisten her tongue and throat. She swallowed hard a few times, washing down the panic.

The smell and buzz of the city no longer assaulted her senses; vehicles sputtering down street asphalt and towering skyscrapers assailing polluted skies were nowhere in sight. Lerin was in a forest, or perhaps it was a jungle of some kind. She had never seen anything like it before, not in any textbook or landscape painting. It hailed to a whole new level of exoticism as vibrant colors from all spectrums were splashed about the foliage. Enormous trees sprawled across the terrain their soaring branches bloomed with multi-colored leaves that changed hue in the breeze, and beams of golden sunlight peeked through the leafy canopies.

"Whe…Where am I?" Lerin said in wonder; she looked downward at the disturbed trail of earth she had created from her reckless crawling; she followed it with her eyes, resting on the spot where she had previously laid unconscious.

She began to run her hands over her body, checking for other injuries or lost limbs. Lerin sighed in relief, 'still in one still in one peace.' She dropped her head back, eyelids sinking closed as fatigue slowly crept its way up her body. Lerin had a splitting headache and her muscles ached and throbbed from both the lack of use and sleeping on a hard surface for who knows how long. She shook the fatigue away and stretched out her arms and legs.

"What happened to the alleyway? There should be brick walls and I should be laying on filthy asphalt, not in a bed of leaves and dirt?" She said waving her arms about.

"How hard did I hit my head?"

And then the thought hit her, "Oh no…am I…dead?" Her bottom lip started to quiver as tears began to form in her eyes. She shut them tight, destroying any tears and fiercely shook her head, "No, no, no, NO!" she exclaimed slamming her fists into the soft earth.

With a sigh, Lerin stood up brushing the earth off from her garments and hands, and shaking the leaves free from her hair. She simultaneously made her way back to her earlier resting spot where she twirled about, scanning the forest floor.

"Where is my bag?" she wondered as she walked about the area brushing aside the exotic foliage in search for her brown messenger bag, but it was nowhere to be found.

"Oh come on! Seriously? On top of being left unconscious and stranded in 'who the hell knows where', someone had the nerve to rob me? " She huffed shoving her hands into her coat pockets.

"Hm? What's this?" Lerin pulled her right hand free from the coat pocket and held up an object. "Ha! Looks like the looters missed something!" she said holding up her cellphone. She flipped the phone open and pressed a number of buttons; the phone beeped and its screen lit up, "Good, it's still got some battery life left." However, Lerin's relief was short lived as she noticed there was absolutely no reception, "Pfff, figures. I'm out in the middle of no where" she said rustling her hair.

The phone beeped again.

"Whoa, that's weird?" she said as she watched the date and time display on the cellphone's interface go haywire; the numbers were rapidly changing as the hours, days, months and years flew by within seconds. She tapped the phone a few times, but the numbers continued their onslaught through time.

"Thing must be busted."

Lerin brought her attention back to the natural area surrounding her, "This really isn't the place to try and fix my phone, plus I don't have my toolkit on me – damn them for taking my bag! Whatever, right now finding reception is ideal; I still might be able to make a call."

She scanned the surrounding area once again, trying to find something or anything, but there was nothing.

"Well, which way do I go?" She closed her eyes, inhaling all of the exotic smells the environment had to offer; she perked up her ears, attuning them to the sounds around her.

After a few minutes of deep concentration, Lerin sighed in frustration, situating her hands on her hips in an agitated pout and tapping her right foot, "Absolutely nothing! All I hear and smell is forest! Why would someone bring me all the way out here just to rob me?"

She kicked the dirt up and began marching forward, "Lousy good for nothing sleaze bags! When I get back home, I'm going to track them down and Ooooooh, when I find them, they're gonna wished they never messed with the likes of me!"

Lerin continued her devious planning and name-calling as she walked away from the small clearing, her voice growing distant with each step.

-SD-

It felt like she had been walking for days when in reality it had only been an hour or two; her throbbing head and aching body made any physical activity ten times worse. On top of that, the heat and humidity was something she was not use to; she had taken her jacket off, along with the grey sweater she wore underneath; this left Lerin in a loose white tank top, her dark denim skinny jeans and black ankle boots. Her walking was sluggish and slow and as a result she had covered very little ground.

There was an audible growl as Lerin wrapped her arms around her stomach, "Soooo hungry, what I would give for a chocolate milk shake right about now. Or…" She halted mid-step, her eyes growing wide with excitement as her body perked up, "Fruit! There has to be some kind of fruit around here!" She ran forward and started checking around the bushes and foliage for anything that might be edible. Lerin moved from bush to bush, with little concern for where she was actually going.

"Ah-Ha!" Lerin plucked what looked like a red berry of some kind from an odd blue leafy bush; she began examining it, twirling it in between her fingers and giving it a sniff. "Hmmm, I don't really know how to tell if this thing is poisonous or not."

As she stood contemplating the nature of the mysterious berry, white flakes began to float around her. The sting of cold wet droplets on her bare neck and shoulders snapped Lerin out of her reverie. She watched as white flakes sporadically drifted by floating to the ground and dissipating.

"How odd." She said while rubbing the back of her neck as the cool flakes continued to land and then melt away on her bare skin.

Lerin turn around, trying to find the source of the white flakes; it was then she found herself standing in front of a gateway to alternate realm. Two solid black rock walls stretched past the treetops and extended 20 feet or so across the forest floor; there was an opening, quite spacious in size, between the two rock faces; a cool chill pushed through the opening carrying white flakes on its breeze.

"No way…" Lerin said moving closer; she could see it was a passageway and that its floors were covered all in white. She kneeled down running her fingers across the white surface, "Snow? But it's like 90 degrees out here!"

Lerin stood, squinting her eyes as she studied the snow covered passage. There was a spread of trees that had slim light blue trunks and tiny silver leaves that glistened in the breeze; white and silver plants bloomed from the snow caked floor. Lerin looked skyward to see a thick blanket of grey clouds stretching over the passage, snowflakes parting from the billowy mass and floating to the ground. It seemed like there was no end in sight for either the stretch of grey clouds and the snowy passage, but then again she could only see about 50 paces ahead due to a thick blue mist; for all Lerin knew this pathway went on for 100 of miles. A chill ran up her spine as she thought of what manner of beasts could be lurking within the thick mist.

"Well I'm definitely not taking my chances in there, but how peculiar, a winter wonderland in the mists of a flourishing forest? I wonder…" She said curiously taking a step forward. Placing her hand on the cool rocky surface, Lerin's head tilted to the side and despite the obvious dangers she couldn't help but feel spellbound by its chilling beauty.

The sound of crunching snow suddenly caught her attention. Lerin's eyes narrowed in focus as she scouted the path ahead. 'Something's there and it's moving towards me.' Lerin nervously thought. Whatever it was it abruptly stopped, the sound of crunching snow no longer echoing off the stonewalls. She strained her eyes to see past the mist and little by little she saw it. A stagnant shadow stood among the blue haze, it was small and stood upright with two legs. Its silhouette was hard to make out, but she could see a cloak flapping in the wind.

'It looks human.' She observed. Lerin opened her mouth, hesitating for a second, "Hello? Is someone there?" She called out.

Instantaneously, the shadow moved, blipping out of sight, the sound of racing footsteps echoing off of the rocky walls.

"Hey wait!" Lerin shouted, darting into the snowy passage, "Stop! Please!"

-SD-

Lerin ran until her legs finally gave out; she stumbled latching on to a tree trunk for support. Her body was slouched over as she tried to catch her breath, "Damn it. Running was a bad idea." Lerin's body shook from hunger and exhaustion; she looked over her shoulder the lush forest long gone. She peered ahead, but could see anything past the blue mist. So far, there had been no twists nor turns, no ups or downs, just a straight and level path.

Lerin unwrapped her sweater and jacket from around her waist and slipped into the soft fabrics. "I need to keep moving; whatever that thing was, it had to have gone somewhere." She said through tired breaths. With a moan of protest, Lerin continued onward using the rocky wall as leverage.

-SD-

The grey world slowly faded to a deep blue, the breeze stilling itself, as the air grew colder. Puffs of air blew past Lerin's chapped lips as she trudged on through the dark passageway. Her brain had shut down hours ago, entering into a trance. Her steps were slow and mechanical, as her body instinctually moved on its own will.

In her stupor, Lerin was unaware when the once leveled floor became a downward slope. She slipped and fell forward without any resistance landing hard on her side. She remained unconscious as her body began slipping down the icy slope. It twisted and turned, spiraling downwards like a playground slide. One would expect a pile of snow to greet them at the end of the slope, but instead Lerin's body crashed into a pile of dried autumn leaves.

She lay there among the leaves, motionless and undisturbed. The silver moon travelled high across the night sky, her mystical light shining down upon the land as she moved down into the west. In the east, the day's first light slowly crept up driving away the night's sky.

-To be continued-

I know what you're thinking…where the heck is everyone? If you have seen the movie Hook then you might know where Lerin ended up

Also, for those who have seen the movie Hook, you might have noticed I have taken liberties with the environment designs, changing them to suit this story's needs and also to be more dramatic.

Thanks for reading! And please let me know how I am doing :D


	6. Chapter Five

**Authors Note:** This is an AU story, an in this timeline Peter Pan never met Wendy. This story takes place in the 21st century.

**Disclaimer:** Peter Pan was created and written by J.M. Barrie - I only own a few characters in this story.

-Sweet Dreams-

CHAPTER .FIVE.

- Pirates, Indians and Lost Boys, Oh My!-

The air was warm, it soothed away the remnants of winter and wrapped around Lerin's sleeping form. Exotic birds of all colors and size fluttered to and fro, chirping and cawing as they went. A small bird with puffy blue and pink feathers and a neon green beak, fluttered down from a near by nest and landed on Lerin's chest. It chirped and tweeted, turning its head from side to side as it study the girl's sleeping face.

The little bird's incessant cooing caused Lerin to stir from her deep slumber. She coughed violently, her dry throat begging to be soothed; the sudden movement startled the bird as it launched itself into the air leaving a puff of feathers behind. Lerin struggled to sit up, her stomach muscles felt so raw and a searing pain shot up through her left arm. She coughed, hissed and swore under her breath, but never the less managed to sit upright. With her good arm, Lerin was able to rub the sleep away from her eyes; she moaned as the sunlight stung her eyes.

It took a minute or two as her eyes adjusted to the bright light, but when they did, Lerin couldn't believe what she saw. She was once again in the forest, however it was different this time around. This forest was more open and spacious with less trees and plants crowding around each other. The air was less humid and sticky, and there were no odd colorings or strange looking plants or trees.

The trees had large trunks and were a dark brown; green exotic plants, which Lerin was more familiar with, were flourishing around the trees. She even saw large daisies, tulips and sunflowers growing from tall green patches of grass. Large rocks, some in groups and others sitting alone, were scattered across the forest floor. The ground was covered in orange, yellow, brown and red leaves; they glowed brightly against the contrasting greens.

"How did I get here and what happened to the snow?" Lerin suddenly felt a cool breeze brush past her. She turned, looking for the source and found the snowy passageway. Snowflakes lazily floated outward only to melt in mid-descent. Lerin's eyes travelled up the passageway's floor, it was sloped and had a sharp curved towards the top cutting off her view.

"Hmph, I don't know why I even bother questioning it anymore." She said before standing up. She struggled of course, swaying on her feet. Once she regained her balance, Lerin stretch and rubbed her sore muscles. She hissed when she tried moving her left arm; most of the pain emanating from her shoulder, it was stiff and tender to the touch. She started to roll and massage out the stiffness, all the while taking another look around.

Lerin stopped to notice something on the ground. It was bright blue and stood out among the autumn leaves. She walked over to get a better look. Once she stood over the object, she nudged it with her foot a few times checking to see if it would react or come to life, but it remained lifeless. She picked it up and held it far away from her face, just in case it was something foul.

"A pouch?" She said curiously.

Less afraid of the object now, Lerin brought the blue pouch closer and studied it further. It was made of leather and had a yellow drawstring; there was something lumpy and hard inside.

"Do I dare?" she said placing her fingers around the yellow drawstring. After a minute of debate, she finally pulled the string; like a blooming flower, the pouch opened revealing an assortment of small colorful orbs.

"Are these marbles?" Lerin said picking one out and holding it up into the light.

"Haha, no way! They are! What are these doing out here? Maybe some kid left them here by mistake or perhaps dropped them." Lerin wondered. "Hah! How they got here exactly doesn't matter! What does matter, is these belong to someone and I bet they live close by!"

Lerin closed the pouch and stuffed it into her coat pocket. She began walking in the opposite direction of the winter passageway. She didn't get far when she came across an off dwelling of trees.

-SD-

The trees were enormous with wide trunks and large roots that weaved in and out of the ground, one could easily walk under the uplifted roots. But what really caught Lerin's attention were the colorful markings and drawings painted on the tree trunks and surrounding rocks. She walked closer and continued down a pathway observing the painted terrain.

She could see painted handprints of various colors and sizes spread over the trees and rocks. Among the handprints were crude animal drawings, some she recognize and others she didn't; Mermaids, unicorns and griffons were among them. The stars, moon and sun were sporadically drawn on to the surfaces, not creating a scene or picture per say, but they acted more like a filler element. There were also drawings of people, in various colors and sizes, some with short hair, some with spiked hair and some with hats. Some of the people held swords while others had slingshots or bows and arrows. There was writing as well, most of it was intangible, but Lerin was able to make out a few of the words.

"Thud Butt…Nibs…Slightly…Pockets…Ace…Latchboy…No Nap…Don't Ask" she read out loud as she passed each word. Lerin came across an almost life size drawing of a person with light brown skin whose clothing and spiked hair were both black and red; there was word written above the person in bold white letters.

"Rufio." Lerin read aloud as she gently ran her fingers along the letters. She continued onward coming across another life size drawing of a person; they had light skin, with brown spikey hair and wore all green clothing. This person held what looked like a yellow sword or stick and, just like the pervious drawing, a word was written above in bold white letters.

"Peter" Lerin read aloud as her fingers traced along the white letters.

"They're names." She said looking back at the path she had just wandered down "Really strange one's, but this just further proves that there are people living around here."

Continuing onward, Lerin walked along the painted corridors and came across a makeshift ladder hanging along a tree trunk. Her eyes traveled upward, following the ladder into the treetops; she had to strain her neck and to take multiple steps backwards to see where it lead to. Lerin gasped at the sight nesting right above her.

"Tree houses…" She said looking from tree to tree only to discover more of the little forts. "There are so many of them!" Lerin gasped. It was like a little city, nesting along the treetops.

As if on cue, the inhabitants began to stir from their tiny tree homes. She could hear their tired moans, grunts and loud yawns. A howl made Lerin jump and she searched around frantically, heart pounding and breath cold from fear. The howl set of a flurry activity in the treetops; things were moving this way and that way, swinging from branches, crawling down ladders and running down makeshift stairs.

Lerin twirled about, trying to keep track of the activity around her, but it was impossible. Suddenly, she felt something come up from behind; she quickly twisted her upper body and arched her back as a sword grazed past her face and chest.

A boy dressed in tattered clothes stumbled forward landing on his stomach with the sword flying from his grip. Lerin ran for the sword, getting there before the boy could; she spun around jumping into a defensive stance. Lerin yelped as she came face to face with an army of boys; there were tall ones, small ones, some fat, some skinny and others lean. Their skin tones ranged from dark brown to a light tan, but Lerin couldn't tell if they were tan because of sun exposure or due to dirt and grime. Their outfits were mostly tattered and patched up, some had odd ornaments and animal bones on strings wrapped around their necks, wrists and ankles. She noticed that some of the boys wore period clothing, one in particular was dressed in 17th century French garments, he even had the white ponytail wig on, and another looked like a greaser from the 1950's.

Lerin stood still, sword raised and on guard; she glanced out of the corner of her eyes, 'They have me surrounded' she thought still observing the scene. The boys glared at her, their lips pressed into tight frowns; they all stood so still and quiet with various weapons at their sides.

Lerin audibly gulp, 'They look really pissed off.'

Lerin slightly turned her head to the right, and there she saw it! A small gap among the wall of boys; it was big enough for her to squeeze through.

With an escape in clear sight, Lerin felt a surge of energy move throughout her body; her fingers and toes tingled with anticipation. She wanted to move and make her escape but the opportunity never came. Someone had to make the first move, but who? The situation was starting to grate one her nerves as Lerin's growing irritation out weighed her fear.

"What? " She forcefully said to the boys. Her voice echoed off the trees and rocks, fading off into the distance. A boy, who looked about her age stepped forward raising his weapon above his head as he yelled out a furious cry. Then all at once the rest of the boys raised their weapons up and yelled a furious battle cry.

That did it, Lerin dropped her weapon and dove through the gap; she tucked and rolled up onto her feet and began sprinting away. The boys chased after her with their weapons drawn and swinging wildly above their heads. She ran through bushes, leapt over rocks and dodge tree stumps. She could hear their heavy breathing and footsteps close behind. They hit their weapons against rocks and trees, the loud thuds and clanging of metal echoed throughout the woods. They howled and grunted like wild animals.

"Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeelp me! Someone!" Lerin helplessly screamed out.

A number of hissing sounds zipped right past Lerin, she could feel the pulse of air graze by, barely missing her flesh.

"What the hell is that?" she said aloud. Lerin lost her footing and stumbled. She latched onto a tree, quickly regaining her balance. She heard the hissing once again, and acting on pure instinct Lerin quickly titled her head to the side as an arrow flew right past her head. With a loud thud, it lodged itself deep into the tree's bark. She jumped back and began sprinting forward again.

"They're shooting arrows at me! Holy shi-" With a loud crack, Lerin fell to the ground, with an arrow embedded in the back of her left shoulder. She didn't stay down long, with so much adrenaline and fear coursing through her body, Lerin reached back and pulled the arrow free; she crawled back up on to her feet and continued forward.

Blood was soaking into her jacket; her vision was staring to blur as her movements became more desperate. She knew she couldn't keep this up for much longer, her body was plague with injuries, fatigue and hunger. Her throat and lungs burned, as she panted and gasped for air.

There was a sound, she could barely hear it among the howls and clanking weapons. Lerin's ears perked up; it sounded like rushing water. She veered off to the left as the sound of grew louder and louder. Lerin leapt over a fallen tree trunk and came into a clearing. She screamed and abruptly tried stopping as she slid across the rocky surface.

Lerin stop inches away from a cliff's edge, it looked like a 50-foot drop; she could see a wild river rushing directly below. A few more arrows whipped past her head and without a second thought, Lerin leapt forward and plummeted downward. She landed in the water, it's icy grip instantly paralyzing her. At first, it felt like tiny needles pricking at her skin but it soon faded as the numbness sunk in.

Lerin's brain shouted at her to move, but her body refused. Slowly the darkness crept in.

-SD-

A fire, crackled and popped, its smoky aroma tickled Lerin's noise and clung to her taste buds. She slowly opened her eyes and blinked a few times to clear her blurry vision.

Once again her throat was dry and parched, her body stiff and sore. Lerin was lying on her stomach and wrapped in blankets of fur. Her face was turned toward her injured shoulder, which was now bandage in a green cloth. Lerin push herself up and sat back on her heals. The blankets slide down and she saw that she wasn't wearing her own clothes anymore - strike that - Lerin wasn't really wearing any clothing at all. There were green bandages wrapped around her torso, legs and arms; a makeshift pair of white cloth underwear covered her nether region. She had been cleaned, her skin and hair washed and smelled like lilac. She turned her attention to the room she was in, or at least she thought it was a room.

It was coned shaped tent, with a circled base that narrowed to a point as it traveled upward. Wood beams angled and planted into the ground supported the cone structure. The color of the tent was a light brown with a hint of cream splashed about, the material looked thick and durable. Across the room, sunlight beamed through a slit in the tent's wall.

Fur and colorful woven blankets decorated the floor, along with wooden tools and toys. There was a small fire in the middle of the room with a black kettle hanging above its flames. She could hear liquid simmering within the pot and its savory aroma whiffed about the room making Lerin's mouth water.

The slit was pushed aside as a tall figure came through followed by a much smaller one. A tall man with broad shoulders and red kissed skin towered over Lerin; she quickly covered herself with blankets, a deep crimson forming across her cheeks. He had dark brown eyes, black bushy eyebrows and a shapely nose that sloped sharply downward; he had thin lips and a strong jaw line. White and blue markings were painted on his face. The man wore a headdress made of white feathers with red tips that mohawked down is head and back. His body looked strong and powerful and his eyes held wisdom and age. His chest was bare and was covered in scars; an assortment of animal hides wrapped around his waist. He wore moccasins on his feet and leather braces around his wrists.

Next to the man stood a small woman, her almond colored eyes sparkled and her smile was sweet and reassuring. Her hair was braided down the back, its color was pure black with streaks of white. She wore a long cloth dress that was white with the hem dipped in red. The woman bore a necklace with dark brown leather straps that clung to a flat turquoise stone, it had a symbol engraved upon it. She wore moccasins as well and had turquoise beaded jewelry wrapped around her wrists. Her skin was lighter then the man's, but her eye's held the same amount of wisdom as his did.

The woman approached Lerin, holding out her hands.

"Do not be afraid, my name is Daughter Leaves. You must belong to Flying Eagle. What is your name lost one?" The woman asked as she carried over a wooden bowl. She kneeled next to Lerin and gently offered her the bowl. Lerin looked at it, a clear liquid was swashing within its curved center; she grabbed the bowl and hungrily drank down its contents. She wiped her mouth and handed the bowl back to Daughter Leaves; she thanked her with a nod.

"My name is Lerin..." she said, her voice was scratchy and she struggled to find her next words, Lerin had so many questions. Daughter Leaves must have read the confusion in Lerin's face, "Your body and soul are weary child. You must be hungry, please eat and then rest."

The woman rose and went over to the kettle by the fire; picking up a wooden ladle, the woman began scooping a thick brown stew into large wooden bowl.

"Where am I?" Lerin asked.

"Your are in the Indian Village. Three days ago, one of the young hunters of this village found you on the Western Shores, you were wounded and had many injuries. He carried you back to this village -" Daughter Leaves paused and hesitated for a second before continuing, "The medicine woman of the Black Sands mended your wounds and injuries." She said taking her place next to Lerin. She handed her the bowl and Lerin eagerly accepted it. The warm liquid slid down her throat and filled her aching stomach.

"I am in wonder, for the Medicine Woman of the Black Sands does tend to many, let alone a outsider. She knew you were coming, waiting within this tent for your arrival." Daughter leaves was studying Lerin with questioning eyes. "May I ask, how did you come across your injuries and wounds, young Lerin?"

Lerin handed Daughter Leaves the empty bowl; she glanced down at the floor, trying to form the right answer.

"I hit my head…and then I was lost, hungry and cold. I…I think I wondering around for two days until - " Lerin shook her head and decided that she wasn't making any sense. "It was an arrow that wounded my shoulder."

"Only the people of my village and the Lost Boys are skilled in the bow. No one from this village would attack you, which leaves the Lost Boys. They attack and kill the pirates of the Southern Shores." Said the tall man, his voice was deep and husky. Lerin looked at him with questioning eyes.

"Lost Boys? Pirates? Wait, are you implying that I am a pirate?" Lerin screeched offended by the man's accusation.

"Now, now calm yourselves." Interrupted the woman, she turned to Lerin. "Who then injured you child?"

"Boys...an army of them...they chased after me." Lerin stuttered out. "I jumped off a cliff and landed in a river to escape them."

The man and woman looked at each other, "The tribe of Flying Eagle attacked her...she must have been brought her by Pirates." Said the woman.

"No. I'm not with the pirates or anyone. I don't know where I am! I was chased down an alley, hit my head and then wound up here in this nonsensical place! I mean come on! Why is there a snow-covered passage in the middle of a tropical forest? And why are there savage boys living in tree houses? I just want to go home!" Lerin cried. "What kind of place is this?"

"You are in Neverland" Daughter Leaves said placing her arms around Lerin.

"You should rest now." Said the man, his face had softened and his tone less harsh. "I am Running Horse and I am Chief of this Village. Daughter Leaves is my mate. You may stay here; my people will feed and take care of you. When you are well enough, I will take you to see The Medicine Woman of the Black Sands."

Lerin nodded her head and quietly thanked both Indian rulers. With two great strides, Running Horse was out the door. His wife Daughter Leave's brushed back Lerin's hair and gave her a reassuring smile.

"Please rest well." She said before rising and exiting the tent.

Lerin carefully lay down, mindful of her injures as she snuggled into the warm furs. As she drifted off to sleep, Lerin could hear the sounds of the village outside; children laughing, women singing, the clanking of pots, the cutting of wood. The noise put her at ease and she fell into a deep slumber.

-SD-

-i-

Moonlight streamed in through stain glass windows; it slowly crept along the wooden floor until the light came upon a pair of black leather boots. The silver light travelled up the boots and onto a pair of tight brown pants with leather straps wrapped around each leg. Then a pair leather holsters that held a pair of muskets at each side was slowly revealed. They were strapped around a white-bloused torso and situated under both arms. The light stopped just below the neckline, his identity shrouded in darkness. The figure sat sluggish in a wood framed armchair with red velvet cushions. His left hand gently swirl a glass of red wine around. A door creaked opened as clunky footsteps made their way into the room, they stopped about four paces behind the seated man.

"Well?" Came the man's sultry voice as he continued to stir the red wine within his glass.

"Captain, we've lost track of the map." Said an old man, his voice was high in pitch and was laced with something that resembled kindness.

The man immediately stopped twirling his glass and brought it up to his lips. "How disappointing….Mr. Smee, who was in charge of retrieving the map?"

"Gutless, Captain."

"Pity." The man said as he took a sip of his wine. "Mr. Smee, see that our dear friend Gutless spends a night in the Boo Box."

"Aye Aye, Captain."

-To be continued-

Next Chapter…

Selene of the Black Sands

-i-

-Author's note-

Did you guys like that last bit? I hope so. In the movie Hook, Glen Close plays the pirate Gutless who is sentenced to the Boo Box by Hook.

Anyways, fun fact

Also, Captain Hook in this story isn't the traditional nobleman that is seen in the animated movies and in the movie Hook. If anything, the Hook in this story will resemble the Captain Hook in the 2003 Peter Pan movie played by Jason Isaacs. I like the kind of unkempt nature of that Hook.

Thanks for reading! And please let me know how I am doing!


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